Hydrostatic mine



C. T. MINKLER.

HYDROSTATIC MINE.

APPLICATION FlLED Aue.za. 1917.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHET 1.

Fly, 11 IIVYEN TOR.

C. T. MINKLER.

HYDROSTATICMINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.28, 1917.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 8 w 44 l H I iHI1|I|||5|1||J v 4 H 8 C 7 m w MW 4 m 4 l 2 I M 9 6 49 F UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

CHESTER '1. MINKLER, OF NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.

HYDROSTATIC MINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

Application filed August as, 191'7. Serial No. 188,542.

tain new and useful Improvements in- Hy-.

drostatic Mines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hydrostatic mines for submarine use and in its more 1ntense aspect to firing devices for mines of the depth charge type or that type adapted to automatically explode on reachin a predetermined depth beneath the surf ace, although with slight modification the firing device is applicable to other types of explosive devices.

One object of the present invention is to provide a reliable and eflicient hydrostatic mine of simple and practical construction. A further object is to provide a firing device, capable of use in connection with hydrostatic mines of various types, having relatively few parts which will be inexpensive to manufacture and easy to assemble.

A further object is to provide a firing device of the above character which may be' In the accompanying drawings wherein is shown one of various possible modifications, and in the several figures of which corresponding reference numerals denote corresponding parts Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view, showing a complete hydrostatic mine of the depth charge type.

Fig

. 2 is a vertical or longitudinal sec tional view of the firing device. Fig. 3 is a detailed plan view of the depth setting device.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of a portion of the depth setting device taken on the line 4--4 Fig. 2.

ewport and Fig. 5 is a detail transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view.

The invention will hereinafter be described With relation to its application to hydrostatic mines of-the depth charge type. It 1s, of course, to be understood that other forms of mines may be equipped with substantially the same firing apparatus, which constitutes the principal feature of the present invention, without material modification.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and more particularly. to Fig. 1, 5 denotes the outer casing which may be assumed to be.

of general cylindrical shape and of any desired size, according to the explosive charge which it is designed to contain. The casing 18 provided with concave ends, 6 and 7, as

. shown for protecting a primer extended and Intermediate the ends of the casing is a detonator envelop D. p

The primer extender and releasing mechanlsm A forms no part of the present invention except in so far as it may broadly r85 enter into certain combinations hereinafter set forth and for that reason a detailed description is believed to be unnecessary. It is sufiicient to state that the mechanism consists broadly of a hydrostatic piston operatively connected with the envelop D and op posed in its action by resilient means of known strength, the action of water pressure on said piston serving to move the envelop into such proximity of the detonator 22 that the firing of the detonator will explode the charge in the envelop. Until the envelop is drawn to within a certain distance of the detonator, the firing of the detonator will not ex lode the charge in the envelop. A 100 somew at similar type of mechanism is shown, for example, in the copending application of Simon P. Fullinwider filed November 28, 1917. The casing, of course, is

provided with suitable handling means 1O 10! as desired.

The firing mechanism, BC, which is shown more clearly in Fig. 2, comprises a cylindrical casing 11 secured at one end to a ring 12 firmly seated in the concave end 110 engage or receive one end of a tubular casstud 38 carried by 'mg extension member 20, the opposite end of which member is provided with a threaded end for receiving a detonator holder 21, which in turn carries a detonator 22 held in place by means of a bushing 23. Within the mechanism casing is mounted an expansible diaphragm 24 of any well known type, and of a material such as copper, one

end of which isconnected with the casing flange ring 16 while the opposite end is connected to a hydro-piston 25, thereby forming an expansible hydrostatic chamber 26 into which water is admitted through a number of small holes 27 about an index dial late 28 carried by the casing flange 16 and lield in place by a follower nut 30.

Within the hydrostatic chamber 26 is a depth setting sleeve 31 terminating at one end in a stud projecting outwardly through. a central opening in the dial late 28 for carrying an index pointer 32. his pointer is adapted to coact with a notched index ring 33 as shown more clearly in .Fig. 3, and is held in set position by means of a spring 34 located about the projecting stud. and within a recess in the index pointer 32. A suitable keep screw and nut 35 hold the parts in assembled position.

I The depth setting sleeve is provided with a pair of oppositely dis osed studs 36 screwed into the side Wa ls thereof and adapted to engage in ahelical cam slot in the outer face of an adjusting bushing 37, closely fitting the interior of the sleeve, whereby on applying a. rotating movement to the sleeve the bushing will be elevated or depressed according to the direction of such rotation. This bushing is centered upon a the piston head and pro-- vided with a key 40 for slidably engaging the bushing 37. A retaining collar 41 at its free end prevents removal of a variable resistance element such as an auxiliary depth spring 42 coiled about the stem.

The hydro-piston 25 is provided with a boss 39 to which is threaded a cylindrical or tubular extension 43 closely fitting the interior of the casing extension member 20. It will be noted on examining Fig. 2 that the lower part of the casing extension is of slightly smaller diameter to provide a locking shoulder 44 near the center thereof.

,by locking balls 45 positioned provided at its end mam This shoulder 44 is adapted to be engaged at a plum ity of points about the firing unit, in order to hold the same in retracted position until released when the mine reaches the desired de th.

his firing unit includes a shell or cylindrical member 46 closely fitting the. smaller diameter of the casing extension 20 and is with a firing point 47 adapted to engage the detonator. Within the member 46 1s a releasing lunger 48 WlllCh closely fits the inner sur ace of the member 46 and is normall held in telescoped position, as shown in l ig. 2 by means of a spring 50 extending between the firing point 47 and the interior of the releasing plunger 48. It will be noted that while in this position, the locking balls 45 are held in the outward position against the locking shoulder 44 until a relative longitudinal movement between the member 46 and the releasing plun er' 48 takes place to rmit the balls 45 to forced by firing spring 49 radially inwardly into the annular cavity 51 formed at the base of the releasing plunger. This releasing plunger 48 is provided with a projecting stem 52 terminating short of the boss projection 39 of the hydro-piston 25.

The operation of the firing device is substantially as follows The index pointer 32 is turned to indicate a number on the dial scale 33 shown in Fig. 3 corresponding to the depth at which it is desired to have the mine explode. On turning this index setting sleeve 31 will be rotated and cause the adjusting bushing 37 with the spring 42 carried thereby to move upwardly a. predetermined distance, thereby increasing the resistance to expansion of the chamber and serving as a means to regulate the depth at which the mine will be exploded. The mine is then thrown overboard and the water, entering through the pointer the depth hydrostatic holes 27 in the index dial plate, will cause an ex ansion of the hydrostatic chamber 26 and a corresponding relative downward movement of the hydro-piston 2'5 and associated parts as the hydrostatic pressure increases as the mine approaches the predetermined depth. her, the stud or boss 39 of the hydro-piston will cause a compression of the firing spring 49 positioned between the boss and firing unit. It will shortly engathe stem 52 of the releasin plunger an move the same longitudinal. y relative to the outer member against the action of the s ring 50 contained therein. After a sight relative movement the locking balls 45 will be forced inwardly from their locking engagement with the shoulder 44 in the casing extension to occupy a position within the annular On expansion of the chammam cavity 51, thereby unlocking the firing device and allowin move the unit bo ily and explode the detonator 22. Of course, during this time the detonator envelop D will havebeen moved upwardly from its safety position as shown in Fig. 1 under the action of the primer extender and ,releasing mechanism A, The

sharp blow of the firing point 47 upon the hydro-piston is counteracted not only by the firing spring 49'within the casing extension but by the compression of this variable resistance element or' auxiliary sprlng 42.

By completely turning the index pointer 32 through substantially two-thirds of a circumference or until it reaches the mark S on the dial, shown in Fi 3, the device will be at safety position. y this operation, the adjusting bushing 37 is moved along the hydro-piston stem 38 until its upper end is substantially in contact with the collar carried by the stem or at least until the distance between these parts is less than the distance between the boss 39 on the hydro-piston and the stem 52 of the releasing 'plunger. With the device in the safety position, it will be impossible for the h dropiston and the collar 41 carried there y to move downwardly an amount sufficient to cause the boss 39 to engage the releasing plunger stem 52 and thereby prematurely or unintentionally explode the mine.

The terms upwardly and downwardly are purely relative as the mine in use may occupy any position; They are accordingly to be interpreted in connection with the accompanying drawings.

While the present invention is herein described with relation to its application to mines of the depth charge type, it is to be understood that the firing device proper is applicable to hydrostatic mines of the horn type, for example. In this case, however, it is unnecessary to apply a setting device. It is sufficient in that case to connect the hydrostatic chamber with the contact horns whereby on the breaking of the horns water will be admitted to the hydro static chamber to expand the same and fire the charge as above explained.

From the above, it Wlll be seen the device is of simple and practical constructionv having relatively few parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture and assemble. The device is reliable and eflicient in use in opthe firing spring 49 to intended to cover all of the generic and speeration, and safe to handle and operate. In short, the invention isvbelieved to accom plish, among others, all of the objects and advantages herein set forth.

It is believed that the above will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt the same to various uses and modifications, and the appended claims are cific features thereof that may be comprehended within the range of equivalency.

I claim as my invention 1. In a firing device, in combination, a casing, a hydrostatic chamber near one end thereof, a detonator, a firing unit normally held in locked position including two rela- -tively movable members, which members are capable of simultaneous common movement, locking mechanism for normally maintaining said unit in locked position, a firing spring interposedbetween the firing unit and the hydrostatic chamber adapted to be compressed as the chamber expands, and means associated with the-chamber and firing unit adapted tocause a relative movement of the parts of the unit to release the locking mechanism and permit a common movement of the movable members whereby the unit is brought into engagement with the detonator by action of the firing spring.

2. In a. firing device, in combination, a casing, a hydrostatic chamber near one end thereof, a detonator, a firing unit normally locked'in set position including two relativelymovable members, which members are capable of a simultaneous common movement, locking means for' normally maintaining said unit in locked position, a firing spring interposed between the firing imit and the hydrostatic chamber adapted to be compressed as the chamber expands, means associated with ,the chamber and firing unit adapted'to cause a relative'movement of the parts of the unit to release the locln'ng mechanism and permit a common movement of the movable members whereby the unit is moved into engagement with the detonator by actionof the firing spring, and means for adjusting the resistance to the expansion of the hydrostatic chamber there by to regulate the depth at which the firing of the mine will take place.

3. In a firing device, in combination, a casing, a hydrostatic chamber, a detonator, a firing unit and locking mechanism associated therewith including two relatively movable members, which members are capable of a simultaneous common movement, a firing spring interposed between the firing unit and the h drostatic chamber adapted to be compresse as the chamber expands, means associated with the chamber and firing unit adapted to cause a relative movement of said movable members to release the locking mechanism and permit a common movement of said movable members whereby the unit is moved into engagement with the detonator by action of the firing spring and means for varying the resistance to the expension of the hydrostatic chamber thereby to regulate the depth at which the firing of ,the mine will take place, said last mentioned means including a spring within the hydro static chamber adapted to be compressed on the expanding of the walls thereof.

4.. In afiring device, in combination, a casing, an expansible hydrostatic chamber, a firing unit including two members yieldingly held in normal position and capable of both relative longitudinal and common movement, a firing spring tensioned by the expansion of said hydrostatic chamber, means for'holding said unit in locked position to normally maintain said firing spring under tension and means associated with one of said movable members engaged by the hydrostatic chamber after it has expanded a predetermined amount for moving such member relative to the other member thereby to release the locking device and permit a common movement of said members to cause the explosion of the mine.

5. In a firing device, in combination, a casing, an-expansible hydrostatic chamber, a firing unit including two members yieldingly held in normal position and capable of both relative longitudinal and common movement, a firing spring tensioned by the expansion of said h drostatic chamber, means for holding sai unit in locking position to normally maintain said firing spring under tension, means associated with one of said movable members engaged by the hydrostatic chamber after it has expand'ed a predetermined amount for moving such member relative to the other member thereby to release the locking device and permit a common movement of said members to cause the explosion of the mine, and an adjustable resistance element associated with one of the above-mentioned parts whereby the resistance to expansion of said hydrostatic chamber may be regulated.

6. In a firing device, in combination, a casing, an expansible hydrostatic chamber, a firm unit associated therewith, means normal y holding the firing unit in locked position and spring firing means interposed etween a wall of the expansible hydrostatic chamber and the firing unit, said unit comprising two telescopic members spring held in normal position, one of said members being adapted to be moved by a part of the expansible hydrostatic chamber after the same has expanded a predetermined distance, thereby to release the locking means and permit the explosion of the mine, and resistance element associated with one of said members whereby the resistanceto expansion of said hydrostatic chamber may be regulated, said adjustable resistance element includin a sprin within the hyrostatic chamber am? means or moving the same relatively to one of the moving parts of said chamber;

In a firing device, in combination, a casing, an expansible hydrostatic chamber, ing thefiring unit in safety position and a spring interposed between the expansible hydrostatic chamber and the firing unit, said unit comprisin two relatively movable members spring hel adapted to be engaged and moved by the expansible hydrostatic chamber after the same has expanded a predetermined distance, thereby to release the locking means and permit the explosion of the mine, avariable resistance-element associated with one of said members whereby the expansion of said hydrostatic chamber may be retarded and a dial and pointer coactlng therewith for setting the variable resistance element in predetermined position.

. 8. A hydrostatic mine, comprising in combination a casing carrying an explosive charge, a detonator envelop, detonator, and means for moving the envelop into proximity to the detonator; a firing device therefor comprising a second casing having said detonator at one end and a hydrostatic chamber at its opposite end adapted to expand on submergence of the mine, a firing unit within the casing including a plurality of telescopic parts capable of relative movement, means normally holding said unit in locked position, said chamber including a diaphragm and piston, a spring interposed between the piston and the adapted to be compressed on expansion of the piston until the piston coacts with one of said telescopic parts of the firing unit to cause relative movement thereof, thereby to release the locking means holding said firing unit and fire the charge.

9. A hydrostatic mine, comprising in combination a casing carr ing an explosive charge, a detonator envelop, a detonator, and means for moving the envelop into proximity to the detonator; a firing device therefor comprising a second casing having said detonator at one end, a hydrostatic chamber at its opposite end adapted to expand on submergence of the mine, a firing unit within the casing including a plurality of telescopic parts capable of relative movement, means for normally holding said unit in locked safety position, said chamber including a diaphragm and piston, a spring interposed between the piston and the firing unit adapted to be compressed on expansion of the piston until the piston coacts with one of said telescopic parts of the firing a firing unit, locking means normally holdin normal position, one of said members belng provided with means firing unit unit to cause relative movement thereof and thereby to release the locking mechanism and fire the mine, and means associated with said hydrostatic chamber for varying the time at which the charge is to be fired with respect to the depth at Which it is submerged.

10. A hydrostatic mine, comprising in combination a casing carrying an explosive v one of said members, and means adapted to be engaged by the movable wall of the hydrostatic chamber for causing relative longitudinal movement of the two members to release the locking element and ermit the firing unit to be moved bodily un er the action of the interposed firing spring to fire the detonator.

11. A hydrostatic mine, comprising in combination a casing carrying an explosive charge, a detonator envelop and a detonator; a firing device therefor comprising a second casing including a hydrostatic expansion chamber, a firing unit capable of a bodily movement, a sprlng interposed between a movable part of said chamber and said firing unit and adapted to be compressed as the chamber expands, said firing unit including two members closely fitting one within the other and capable of rela= tive movement, a locking element normally held in place by the inner one of said members means adapted to be engaged by the movable wall of the hydrostatic chamber for causing relative movement of the two members to release the locking element and permit the firing unit to be moved bodily under the action of the interposed firing spring, and means for retarding the expansion of said hydrostatic chamber whereby the depth at which the mine .will be exploded may be determined.

12. A hydrostatic mine, comprising in combination a casing carrying an explosive charge, a detonator envelop and a detonator, a firing device therefor comprising a second casing including a hydrostatic expansion chamber, a firing unit capable of a bodily movement, a firing spring adapted to be compressed as the chamber expands, said firing unit including two telescopic members capable of relative movement, a locking element normally held in place by one of said telescopic members, means adapted to be engaged by the movable wall of the hydrostatic chamber for causing relative movement of the two telescopic members to release the locking element and permit the firmg unit to be moved bodily under the action of the firing spring, and adjustable means for retarding the expansion of said hydrostatic chamber whereby the depth at which the mine will be exploded may be determined, said means including a movably mounted spring within the hydrostatic chamber adapted to be engaged and compressed by one of the moving parts of said chamber as the chamber expands.

1? A hydrostatic mine, comprising in combination a casing carrying an explosive charge, a detonator envelop, a detonator and means for moving the envelop into prox- 1m1ty to the detonator, a firing device therefor comprising a second casing having said detonator and a firing unit near one end thereof, an expansible hydrostatic chamber near the other end, an lntervening mechanism adapted to fire the detonator after the chamber has expanded a predetermined amount, and means for regulating the time of explosion of the mine with respect to its depth beneath the surface, said means including a sleeve within the hydrostatic chamber carrying a block, a spring associated with said block movable toward or mechanism adapted to fire the detonator after the chamber has expanded a predetermined amount, and means for regulating the time of explosion of the mine with respect to its depth beneath the surface, said means including a sleeve within the hydro static chamber carrying a block, a spring associated with said block movable toward or from an element carried by one of the movable parts of the chamber, and means for moving this block from without the mine, said means including a dial pointer, and a notched dial plate with which said pointer is yieldingly held in set position.

15. A hydrostatic mine, comprising in combination a casing carrying an explosive charge, a denotator envelop, a detonator and means for moving the envelop into proximity to the detonator: a firing device therefor comprising a second casing having said detonator and firing unit near one end thereof, an expansible hydrostatic chamber near the other end, an intervening mechanism adapted to fire the detonator after the chamber has expanded a predetermined amount, and means for regulating the time of explosion of the mine with respect to its depth beneath the surface, said means including a sleeve within the hydrostatic chamber carrying a block, a spring associated with the block movable toward or from an element carried by the chamber, and means for moving this block from without the mine, said block and spring when moved to an extreme position providing a'safety lock for the firmg mechanism.

16. In combination, a firing device for hydrostatic mines comprising an expansible chamber and detonator, intervening mechanism for firing the detonator after a predetermined expansion of the said chamber takes place, means for regulating the expansion of said chamber comprising a spring positioned therein adapted to be held in relatively fixed position at one end and engaged by a movable part of said expansible chamber at the other end, and means for moving said sprin bodily with respect to the expansible wal of said chamber comprising a member having a cam slot, a dial without said chamber, and a pointer coacting with said dial and connected with said member having a cam slot, whereby on rotation of the pointer said member will be moved relatively to the movable wall of said expansible chamber.

17 In combination, a firing device for hydrostatic mines comprising an expansible chamber, detonator, intervening mechanism for firing the detonator after a predetermined expansion of the said chamber takes place, and means for regulating the expansion of the said chamber comprising a spring positioned therein adapted to be held in relatively fixed osition at one end and engaged by a mova 1e part of said expansible chamber at the other end, and means for moving said spring bodily with respect to the expansible wall of said chamber comprising a member having a cam slot, a dial without said chamber, and a pointer ooacting with said dial and connected with said member having a cam slot whereby on rotation of the pointer said 'member will be moved relatively to the movable wall of said expansible chamber, said threaded member and spring when moved to an extreme position being sufliciently close to the movable part of said expansible chamber as to positively prevent the ex ansion of said chamber to a degree SUfi I ClGIIt to explode the detonator.

18. In firing mechanism for submarine mines, the combination of a sleeve, a striker movable endwise therein, balls lying partly in the striker and partly in the sleeve, and a spring pressed locking device in the striker normally fplreventing movement of the balls.

19. In ring mechanism for submarine mines, the combination of a sleeve, a striker movable endwise therein, balls lyin partly in the striker and partly in the s eeve, a spring pressed locking device on 'ng the balls and holding them in lock position, and a pressure operated stem for releasing said locking device.

20. In firing mechanism for submarine mines, the combination of a sleeve, a striker movable endwise therein, balls lying partly in the striker and partly in the sleeve, a locking device engaging the balls and holdin them in locked position, a pressure operate stem for releasing said locking device, and a spring operating on the striker to move it endwise when released and which normally holds said stem out of engagement with the locking device.

Signed at Washington, D. (1, this 28th day of July, 1917.

CHESTER .T. MINKLER. 

